Locking device



H. E. ASHCRAFT.

LOCKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED :AN.10.1920.

1,38 1,855 Patented June 14, 1921.

9 I aim M lyb w 6% J9 g/t4 PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER E. ASHCRAFT, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

LOCKIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Application filed January 10, 1920. Serial No. 350,676.

(FILED UNDER THE #01 F MARGH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L, 825.)

To all whom-it may concern:

Be is known that I, HOMER AsHoRAF'rf a citizen of the United States, anda resident of. Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, haveinvented an Improvement in Looking Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention described herein may be 7 used by the Government, or anyof its oflicars or employees in prosecution of work for the Government,or by any other person in the United States, without payment to me ofany royalt thereon. This invention re ates to cover fastening devicesand has special reference to means for securely locking the cover of 'abox, chest or the like in closed position such means being so designedthat the, cover may be readily unlocked and removed.

This device is intended primarily as a substitute for the means formerlemployed for shipping arms and ammunit1on although it will be understoodthat the invention is of general application. Previously the cover ofthe box was .made secure by means of iron bands, which were nailed inposition and by means of screws which were sealed in place. It isevident thatsuch construction consumes a great deal of time, and alsothat the cover of the box is likely to be broken and destroyed duringthe operation of opening the box. By my lnvention, however, the coverofthe box may be readily locked in closed position and as readily openedwithout any. damage to the cover.

In the following specification reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box with thecover in partially closed position;

Fig. 2 isan end view of the box showing my improved device in lockedposition;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the locklnmechanism, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pivoted locker-arm.

1 represents the body of the box of orusual liftin and 3. The numeral 4represents a detachable cover, on one end of which is suitably securedthe angle plate 5. having the apertures 6 which extend, through bothsides of the angle plate at the line of intersection of the angle plate.I

To the end 2 of the box is secured the angle plate 7 the flange 8 ofwhich is adapted. to overlie and snugly fit the cover 4 when the latteris placed on top. of the box. To the end 3 of the box is secured thehandle plate 9, to which is pivotally secured the handle 10.

The usua type of handle plate is provlded with a projecting portionshown at 11 having a socket in which the handle 10 1s pivoted and also apair of sockets located above the handle socket and which are gen-'erally not utilized. The second mentioned sockets are utilized in thisinvention to pivotally support a loop, having a horizontal portlon 12and'upwardly. extending arms 13 and 14, to which arms are pivoted links15 and 16 each having a hook-shaped upper end. It is evident thatspecial handle plates of the type illustrated may be supplied in casethe handle of the box is not of the type described.

Below the handle plate 9 a pivot plate 17 having an upwardly extendingboss 18 is secured to end 3 ofjthe box. On the boss 18 is pivoted thearm 20,- preferably, b means of the fastening bolt and nut 19. he arm 20has an outwardly curved lower end portion which is adapted to engage thehorizontal portion 12 of the loop in order to maintain the device inlocked position, The upper end of the arm 20 is provided with thecounter-sunk hole alining with a hole near the upper end of plate 17, sothat a lock screw 22 may be passed through the apertured arm and plate.The said screw may be then sealed in position by placing a seal in thecountersunk hole so that the contents of the box cannotbe disturbedduring shipment without the breaking of the seal and removal of thescrew.

In operation, one end of the cover 4 is slipped beneath the flange 8 ofthe an l e plate 7 and the cover 4 is then placed in at position on topof the box.

The loop having the horizontal portion 12 is then raised until the hookportions of the links and 16 engage in the apertures 6. The loop is thenpushed to its lower osition flush with the end 3 of the box, an the arm20 is turned until its curved end 21 enages over the horizontal portion12 of the f The screw 22 is placed in position through the arm 20 anplate 17 and a proper seal is then placed above the head of the screwand in the arm 20.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A fastening device for boxes or the like having a handle plate, apivot plate secured to one end of the box immediately below said handleplate, a loop pivoted to said handle plate, a cover, means extendingfrom said loop for engaging the cover, an arm mounted on said pivotplate for holding the loop 20 in locked position and means extending theother end of the box a through said arm and pivot plate for securing thearm in locked position.

2. A fastening device for boxes or the like having a handle plate, apivot late secured to one end of the box imme iately below said handleplate, a loop pivoted to said handle plate, a cover, means extendingfrom said 100 for engaging the cover and means mounte on said pivotplate for holding said loop in locked position.

3. A fastening device for boxes or the like provided with a coverdetachably secured at one end, including a handle plate secured to ivotlate secured immediately below sai han le plate, a loop pivoted to saidhandle plate, means extending from said loop for engaging the cover andmeans mounted on the pivot plate for holding the 100 in locked osltion.

HO ER E. A HCRAFT.

